A Chance Encounter in the Tavern

No matter the era, the taverns in the bustling city centers always thrive with business. Whether you are an adventurer, a mercenary, a conspirator, an alcoholic, or a gambler, you can always find your place here.

Saranya pulled her hood tightly around her, sitting on a long bench and carefully placing her long sword behind her. Kaelan, without her wizard’s hat, covered her face with a veil and sat across from her, frowning at the murky liquid in her cup.

The tavern maid first brought a half-slice of blue-veined round cheese, followed by a platter of golden, crispy roasted chicken. White steam wafted from the wooden soup tureen, carrying the aroma of the meat throughout the tavern.

Cheese, ale, roasted chicken, and pretty girls.

Faced with such a feast, Saranya’s eyes sparkled with delight. She eagerly tore off a chicken leg, savoring the tender, spiced white meat, and then picked up her cup, tilting her head back to take a sip of the cool barley ale, carefully tasting the sour and salty flavors in her mouth.

‘Burp—’

‘Master, aren’t you going to eat?’

Encouraged by Saranya, Kaelan reluctantly pushed her veil aside and took a bite of the cheese.

Crunch, crunch.

Kaelan’s expression suddenly froze, and in the next instant, she looked pained, her face turning a sickly green as she swallowed what was in her mouth.

‘It smells awful, ugh—’

‘Does it? I’ll try… ugh—’

Both avoided the cheese after that. Under Kaelan’s resentful gaze, Saranya finished the entire platter of roasted chicken.

After devouring the last piece of chicken, Saranya licked her lips, still wanting more, and looked up to see Kaelan’s mouth covered in damp cheese crumbs.

One of the unfriendly facts about being a traveler in this world is the lack of toilet paper. However, someone like Kaelan, a ‘noble,’ would surely carry a handkerchief. Perhaps she didn’t clean herself because the cheese was too smelly, and she didn’t want to dirty her handkerchief?

Kaelan’s eyes were half-closed, her expression dazed, with a hint of helplessness.

She must be dizzy from the smell, how adorable.

Saranya couldn’t help but chuckle. She rinsed her hands in the ale cup and leaned towards her master, using her long, slender fingers to gently wipe Kaelan’s mouth and cheeks.

‘Ha…?’

Ignoring Kaelan’s inarticulate question, Saranya used her fingertips to caress Kaelan’s soft cheeks, meticulously cleaning off the food remnants.

Possibly due to the friction, Kaelan’s cheeks gradually turned red, the blush spreading to her ears. Her pupils were hazy, her lips slightly parted, breathing in and out cautiously.

When Saranya tried to touch Kaelan’s cheek with her ale-wet fingers again, Kaelan slightly turned her head away, avoiding the touch.

‘Know your place. As a s*ave, you are not allowed to touch me without my permission…’

Kaelan reproached softly, nodding slightly, and surreptitiously stuck out her tongue, licking the ale residue from her mouth.

Saranya wasn’t sure if Kaelan’s action was unconscious, but at that moment, she felt an urge to shove her fingers directly into the little glutton’s mouth.

Reason held her back, and she was afraid of bursting into flames.

They both looked at each other in silence, the atmosphere at odds with the lively surroundings.

‘Uh, master?’

Saranya’s gaze passed over the patrons at the table, then through a group of half-naked prostitutes, settling on a man and woman who had just entered.

The man was probably in his early twenties, with a restrained scholar’s demeanor, wearing a deep-colored belted robe, and holding a large book in his arms that was almost as big as his two heads.

The woman was under twenty, with short, light golden hair, delicate features, and a sweet, pretty face. She was pouting at the young man beside her, playfully feigning anger, and drawing the eyes of the tavern patrons.

‘The girl with the moonstone pendant and the blue cloak, her name is Paresha. She’s an executor of the Temple of Verro Moon Goddess, the one we’re looking for.’

‘That girl, a temple executor? She doesn’t look like it.’

‘Of course, she got in through the back door. She’s the adopted daughter of Archbishop Dolen, but in reality, she’s his illegitimate child.’

‘How do you know? Do you know them?’

Kaelan blinked, her lips curving into a playful, mischievous smile.

‘We don’t know each other, but I did serve as the Grand Commander of the Knights, and I led the Imperial Army, so I have access to this kind of blackmail without even trying.’

‘I see, we can kidnap her and use her to extort the archbishop—’

‘Master…’

Saranya was sweating,

‘We have a better plan. Paresha’s position isn’t limited to being just a small executor. She’s also a candidate for the priest. You should know that in the Olavi Empire’s polytheistic religion, priests are only found in a few important cities, and each city has only one. They select someone from the most influential branch of the religion, and this person needs to be approved by the votes of other archbishops.’

‘Paresha doesn’t like religious affairs. As an executor, she can barely read, and since she was young, she has loved practicing with swords. Now, she’s even more wild, often slipping out of Verro’s central area to relax.’

‘Thanks to her foster father Dolen’s power, Paresha has at least two to three guaranteed votes in the priest election, which is a significant advantage. If we can get closer to her…’

‘No need for that, I’ll use a ritual to brainwash her, and then we can control her as we please.’

‘Ah? No, master, you can’t—!’

Before Saranya could finish, Kaelan stood up and walked straight towards her target.

This is bad.

Paresha, I’m so sorry, red bean paste privacy massage……

Saranya could only apologize frantically in her heart.

…..

‘Westir, we must accept this bounty. It’s our church’s duty! We’ll find help here, and together, we’ll go to that old church to retrieve our church’s property!’

‘Paresha, you just want an excuse to leave the city, don’t you…’

‘Wes! tir! You have no sense of responsibility. How will you ever become a good archbishop like this?’

‘But it’s so chaotic out there. What if something happens—’

‘Hmph! Bad brother! Stinky brother! Coward!’

Paresha playfully pouted at her brother Westir, completely unaware that a dangerous witch was approaching her, while Westir noticed.

‘Beautiful lady, may I assist you with something?’

Saranya feared Kaelan would resort to violence or say something outrageous like, ‘Please hand over your sister so I can brainwash her.’ Fortunately, this elf-blooded witch was more tactful, merely smiling and turning her gaze to Paresha beside her:

‘I overheard your argument. Is everything alright?’

‘Whatever, it’s normal for us to argue in a tavern!’

‘Paresha… Don’t be like that. This lady is asking out of concern. I am Westir, a saint of the Moon Veil Church, and also a candidate for the archbishop. I apologize if my sister Paresha has offended you. May I ask your names, ladies…?’

Westir spoke softly, with no trace of a big brother’s authority, while Paresha, with a short sword at her waist, was more assertive, with a hint of rough, bandit-like charm.

‘This is Lady Hilburg, and I am…’

Saranya was about to reveal her name but hesitated, fearing that ‘Saranya Kervin’ would be recognized by these church members.

‘She is Hiya, my guardian. What a coincidence, we’re here to fulfill my husband’s dying wish of donating some assets to the Moon Veil Church. I heard your conversation, and if the church has any other needs, we are more than willing to help.’